Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1887-08-11
SUNKEN LANDS
Caused by the Seismic Disturbances
A Sudden and Mysterious Catastro'
phe in Kentucky.
Especial Dispatch to the Enquirer.l

Especial Dispatch to the Rnquirer.l
EVANSVILLE, IND, August 2.-Greatl
excitement exists in Trigg county, Ken
tucky, at a little point called Golden
Point, twelve miles from Cadiz, over a
sudden and mysterious catastrophe
which occurred at that place last night.
Golden Point is twenty-five miles from
the nearest telegraph station, which
y,ekes ID impossible to obtain full and
comnJete particulars. From a gentle
man who arrived on the Southern train
tonight from Hopkinsville your cor
respondent obtained the following par
ticIIars: He says that the country
about the scene is low and swampy, and
almost inaccessible in places, save by
old beaten paths. Much of 1t is wild,
and contains large, dense woods. Golden
Point is mere hamlet, containing two
large bodies of negroes, who exc out q
living by working on several large
farms owned by non-residents.
Last night about six o'clock several
of them felt the earth tremble, but
thought nothing serious had occurred
beyond q slight tremor, and, after
possiping over it, went to bed to sleep.
About twelve o'clock every body was
awakened by sharp shock, as of a bat
tery of artillery, and the negroes had
barely Jumped to their feet when the
earth, with shaking dizzy motion,
suddenly sank distance of five feet,
carrying houses and terrified darkies
with it. The scene that ensued battles
description. The negroes fell on their
knees. and, in frenzied tones, "prayed
the Lord to save them.n Many, with
future torture in sheol staring them in
the face, moaned and groaned and
proveled in the earth in abject fear.
Others began shouting and praising
Almighty God, and ever and anon
casting an upward glance to see if the
chariots of fire ware yet descending.
Added to this pandemonium was the
intense darkness which prevailed, the
moon being completely obscured by
heavy black clouds, which hung very
low, and like pail over the doomed
district. Rumblings were head from
the depths below, which gradually be.
came louder, as numerous springs hid
den for years suddenly found an open
ing and began to bubble upward in con.
stantly-increasing streams. The terri
fed inhabitants, not pausing for house
hold goods or ehattels, gathered theil
offspring hurriedly by the neck or feet
as they happened to catch them, anc
hurried away from the doomed spot.
Over two hundred and fifty acres O
fine farm land, embracing one magni
ficent plantation of Mr.. q. P. Hayden
laid from five to six feet below the leve
of the surrounding country, and con
tanned about three feet of water from
the springs started by the earthquake
A large area of tobacco and corn will b
total loss. Nearly all the cabins have
been torn loose and are floating abou
in various positions, while household
goods are mixed up in ineXtricable con
fusion. Fortunately no lives have beer
lost, but the loss of property is incalcu
liable. The catastrophe was undoubted
ly caused by the earthquake, which wa
noticeable in Tennessee, Missouri, Ken
lucky and Indiana at 1897, as the rum
bling sounds and vibrations felt wer'
similar to those ofseismic disturbances
Golden Point is about one hundred
miles from the spot where nearly sew
enty years ago a similar catastroph
took place, lake of large area sudden
ly disappearing, leaving nothing bu
the bed in the center which was hol
ofunfathomable depth, several hundred
wards in diameter